Holidays in Provence generally mean Peter Mayle territory or the Côte d’Azur. Fantastic, that means that in the hills behind Cannes and near Grasse you have a quiet select few who can enjoy all the good things without the crowds: sun, lavender, wine, spectacular scenery, olives, thyme and good food. Still, you can be happy knowing that Nice, Cannes, Antibes and other Mediterranean Sea cities are 45 minutes away.
Fayence is located between the Esterel mountains and the lower Alps. It’s in a series of perched villages including Montauroux, Seillans and Callian, each no more than 10 minutes from the other. All these towns have typical markets, nice restaurants (for all budgets) and a sensible collection of everyday and tourist shops. None are overrun with foreigners, you can’t buy curry and there are no fish and chip shops. But you can drink Pastis and watch petanque.
Traveling to the Fayence area is easy. For car drivers, it’s about twelve hours door-to-door from London via Eurostar. Go out bright and early, then aim to break anywhere from Beaune onwards. We have stayed in the center of Puligny at Le Montrachet, right in the heart of Burgundy and minutes from the most valuable wine estate in the world. We have also stayed in Tournus at the elegant Hotel de Greuze.
For the brave and armed with books on tape, go ahead, do it in one fell swoop.
Air travel takes you to Nice (British Airways, Easyjet and British Midland/BMI) all offer routes. You’ll need a car, so avoid the hassle of queuing and rent one at Truche Location. They will make a plaque with your name and they will know you. On your way out, simply park your car in the airport terminal car park and drop your keys in the mail. Fayence is about a 50-minute drive from Nice airport.
Those who want to arbitrate money for time can try Toulon/Hyeres, closer to two hours after a Ryanair flight.
Fayence is exit 38 (Les Adrets) of the A8 motorway.
For aquatic activity, you have the beaches, the mountain streams and, well, the pool, which is enjoyed with a good book. We love to go to the Siagne and Siagnole mountain gorges, on both sides of the village of Mons, at 830m high. Splash around in “refreshing” streams, splash into rock pools, and plunge into waterfalls. Or eat your picnic lunch and watch the kids do it. The beaches are really crowded, but a stroll down La Croisette in Cannes, a seaside lunch and a quick dip is not to be missed. For a more intimate experience, seek out a cove in the red rocks of Esterel or visit Theoule. Make sure you reserve your sun lounger in advance: for about 10 euros a day, it’s worth it. Marco Polo beach is our choice.
The Verdon Gorges offer something for everyone about a 90-minute drive away. Rent a pedal boat (with water slide) at Lac St.Croix and meander downriver looking at several hundred meters of rock wall. For the walker, take the six-hour Sentier Martel hike along the Verdon. (Tip: leave a car at the end and then take a taxi to the starting point). The more adventurous can try hybrid sports such as rafting and canyoning: book in advance at Castellane.
Closer to home, there are plenty of spectacular and challenging hiking trails (with gorgeous lodges at each end). For 1200m and beyond, our best options are Bauroux (starts at Seranon, where Napoleon stayed on his way to Grenoble in 1815), the Caussols plateau (between St. Vallier and Gourdon) which offers views of Cannes, Nice and the Alps from the south. from the same point of view. For a riverside stroll, head to the Pont des Tuves between St. Cezaire and Mons.
After a long, hard day in the sun (summer temperatures average 30 degrees), the mind wanders to food and drink. Lunch is never a problem: baguettes, salads, cheeses and pepperoni or rillettes are a done deal, washed down with a little rose and followed by juicy fresh fruit.
For a “quiet” night, the chefs among you will prepare the kitchen themselves. Fayence has three supermarkets to purchase media. The Leclerc in Montauroux has the widest choice: in our family, the name “Stinky Eric” has stuck and we’ve been teased by scantily clad appearances. For the evening, Le Castelleras offers Michelin star quality (ask for the gourmet menu). Mons, Fayence and Seillans have well-prepared local dishes at reasonable prices and friendly service.
We like Mons: Le Petit Bonheur, bustling and informal in the town square, and L’Auberge Provencale with views of the Esterel and the coast.
To accompany your meals, there is a splendid and affordable range of local Provence wines to sample – the supermarket outlet is fine to drink every day. For the connoisseurs, a visit to the Maison des Vins at Les Arcs will deepen your liquid knowledge.
Tired, enjoy a coffee and a marc de Provence under the stars – there’s no light pollution here in the hills.